Supporting means for train pipe couplings



Jan. 15, 1935. H, P P'E ZN 1,987,868

SUPPORTING MEANS FOR TRAIN PIPE COUPLINGS Filed May 18, 1934 PatentedJan. 15, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SUPPORTING MEANS FOR TRAINPIPE COUPLINGS I Herman P. Petznick, Davenport,,Iowa

Application May 18, 1934, Serial No. 726,359 4 Claims. (01. 213-76) Thisinvention relates to novel improvements pensate fully for any possibleexcessive longituin supporting means for train pipe coupling. I dinalmovement of the drawbar.

One of the main objects of this inventionis to It is consequently theobject and purpose of provide means for supporting an automatic trainthis invention to provide supporting means for 5 pipe coupling on a carin such a manner that it the drawbar coupling which is arranged and 5.

will have free movement so as to effect and mainadapted to move thecoupling along with the tain proper connection of the coupling heads atdrawbar, and at the same time to provide means alltimes, even though thedrawbars on the coufor supporting the larger part of the coupling onpled cars have an excessive amount of extension the car body, so as toavoid placing the total and retraction with respect to the cars. weightof the coupling or any excessive weight on 10:

Another object of this invention is toprovide the drawbar, and also toarrange the supporting supporting means for an automatic train pipemechanism so that the coupling will be supported coupling whereby thecoupling is largely supportin a proper position under the variousconditions ed from the car body and not wholly carried by of operation.

the drawbar, and at the same time is connected The herein disclosedsupporting mechanism 15 with the drawbar so as to move longitudinallyhas been provided and arranged more particularly therewith, in order toprovide for a proper joining to accommodate my improved train pipecoupling and a constant airtight connection between a pair which. ismore fully described and explained in g of couplings under the variousconditions of opmy co-pending application for train pipe couplingeration. Serial No. 723,036, filed April 30, 1934, which com- 2'0 Theseand various other objects and advantages prises the casing or cylinder15 provided with a are attained with this invention, as will becomeshank or stem 16 having an inner piston portion apparent from thefollowing description taken in slidable therein, said shank extendingbeyond the conjunction with the accompanying drawing outer end 17 of thecasing and carrying the cou-' wherein my invention is shown in itspreferred pling head 18 at its outer end. The head is pro- 25 form ofconstruction, it being apparent that vari- Videdwith a tapering end 19at one side and an ous other forms and modifications may beresortoutwardly curved guide .plate 20 at the other side ed to forcarrying out the objects and purpose of for readily receiving end 19 ofthe opposite couthis invention. pling head therebetween; Auxiliary valvecasings In the drawing: are provided on the-cylinder including the valve30' Fig. 1 is a side elevational view, partly broken casings 21 and 22provided with the pipes 23 and away, showing my improved supporting'means 24 for conducting air and steam therethrough. for mounting thetrain pipe coupling on the car My improved supporting means provided forand its drawbar. this train pipe coupling, as illustrated in the draw-5' Fig. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken ing, comprises theouter supporting mechanism 3.3

along line 2-2 of Fig. 1. 30 for supporting the casing underneath thecar Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view taken along line body 31. Thissupporting mechanism is substan- 3-3 of. Fig. 1. tially the same as thatshown and described in my In practice it is found that the difierence insaid co-pending application and comprises a pair position of the drawbarknuckle with respect to of hangers or bracket bars 32 which have their40 the car, from its extreme retracted position uppe ends Connected tothe 10 3 a av to its extreme extended position amounts to channelbars 33secured to their lower ends. Bolts several inches, so that thedifference of sep- 34 extend vertically through these channel barsaration between the two adjacent ends of and secure lower and uppercross bars 35 and 36 the pair of coupled cars is apt to differ thereto.Spring means 37 surround the bolts 34 45 a y inches under the va extremeopand resiliently press the cross bars 35 and 36 at Conditions- Inequipping the Cars W th against the channel bars 33. This arrangementautomatic train line couplings this condition must permits th coupling dand Outer end of th be fully taken into a coun a d the range 9 shank toswing vertically and also laterally theremovement of the two connectedheads of the train in and to compensate for the differences in height 50pipe couplings must be able to follow such moveof the ends of adjacentcars, and for movement ment of the drawbars to remain in airtight con-0f the cars over irregular portions in the tracks. motion at all times.It is therefore expedient to In order to center the cylinder and theshank, mount the pipe coupling mechanism so that it is laterally withrespect to the frame bars 32 and I6 movable along with the drawbar, inorder to com- 33 a pair of platesl) are secured to the forward 5 end ofthe cylinder and have springs 42 connecting them to brackets 43 whichare mounted on the members 32 and 33. This permits the cylinder to movelaterally in the supporting frame, but retains it normally centeredtherein.

The cross bars 35 and 36 bear under and upon the cylinder which isslidable laterally and longitudinally therebetween and is limited in itsmovement rearwardly by the end 1'7 engaging against the outward sides ofsaid bars.

A bracket 45 has its front end connected to the bottom of the couplerhead and has two arms extending rearwardly and connected to a U- shapedyoke 46 which has its branches extending upwardly on the opposite sidesof the casing adapted to operate the valve rods 48 and 49, as is morefully described in the co-pending application.

The means provided herein for moving the cylinder or casing 15 andthereby the entire coupling mechanism along with the drawbar 50comprises link means for connecting the coupling to the drawbar, and inthe form illustrated herein this is provided in a pair of parallel links51 which have their lower ends pivotally connected to a pair of spacedlugs 52 provided on a plate 53 secured upon cylinder 15, and have theirupper ends secured between pairs of spaced lugs 54 provided on a plate55 which is pivotally attached to a plate 56 secured under drawbar 50.This arrangement retains the cylinder and coupling means substantiallylevel and parallel with the drawbar, and at the same time causes thecoupling to move longitudinally with the drawbar to compensate for anyexcessive retracting and extending movement of the drawbar on the car.

This supporting means for the coupling will normally retain the memberssubstantially as indicated in the drawing, and will permit movement ofthe cylinder laterally of the supporting bracket and the drawbar andalso vertically thereof, and will permit a longitudinal sliding movementof the cylinder in the bracket along with the vertical movement thereof,but will retain the cylinder and coupling means in the proper levelposition to facilitate ready and proper coupling with the coupling headof another car. The shank 16 with its piston portion moves into thecylinder, and the bracket 45 operates the auxiliary rods 48 and 49, foractuating the valve means of the coupling, as is more fully describedand claimed in my said co-pending application.

I claim:

1. Supporting means for a train pipe coupling, comprising bracket meansmounted stationary on the car body for supporting the coupling to permitfree lateral and vertical movement thereof with respect to the drawbarand enable longitudinal sliding movement of the coupling on the bracketmeans, link means pivotally connected with the coupling, and meanspivotally connected to the link means and being pivotally connected withthe drawbar, whereby to move the coupling longitudinally along with thedrawbar and allow horizontal and vertical swinging of the link means andcoupling with respect to the drawbar but retain the longitudinal axes ofthe coupling and the drawbar parallel.

2. Supporting means for a train pipe coupling, comprising bracket meansmounted stationary on the car body for supporting the couplingtherebetween to allow free lateral and vertical movement thereof withrespect to the drawbar and the car and also allow longitudinal movementof the coupling on the bracket means, a set of parallel links and meansfor pivotally mounting them on the coupling, and bracket means includinga part secured to the drawbar and a part pivoted to said part andpivotally connected to the links, whereby to move the couplinglongitudinally along with the drawbar and allow horizontal and verticalswinging of the link means and coupling with respect to the drawbar andcar but retain the coupling parallel to the drawbar.

3. Supporting means for a train pipe coupling which is provided with acasing, said supporting means comprising bracket means mountedstationary on the car body and having means therein for supporting thecasing and to permit free vertical and lateral movement thereof withrespect to the drawbar but enable longitudinal movement of the couplingon the bracket means, a bracket mounted on the under side of the drawbarto be turnable in a horizontal plane, a set' of similar links havingtheir upper ends pivotally connected to said bracket, and bracket meanspivotally connecting the lower ends of the links to said casing, to movethe coupling longitudinally along with the drawbar and provide for freehorizontal and vertical swinging of the links and coupling with respectto the drawbar but retain the drawbar and coupling parallel.

4. Supporting means for a train pipe coupling, comprising means mountedstationary on the car for supporting the coupling for lateral andvertical and longitudinal movement, and a plurality of similar parallellinks, bracket means pivotally connected to the underside of the drawbarto provide horizontal swinging thereon and being pivotally connected tothe upper ends of the links to provide vertical swinging to the latter,and means pivotally connecting the links with the coupling, whereby thecoupling moves longitudinally along with the drawbar and remainsparallel thereto.

HERMAN P. PETZNICK.

